2009 RUDY BRUNER AWARD: Silver Medal Winner Millennium Park Chicago, Illinois ©BRUNER FOUNDATION, INC. ~ www.brunerfoundation.org SILVER MEDAL WINNER MILLENNIUM PARK © City of Chicago / GRC Aerial view of Millennium Park 88 2009 RUDY BRUNER AWARD Millennium Park at-a-Glance WHAT IS MILLENNIUM PARK? PROJECT GOALS v A 24.5-acre park with venues for performance, art, v To transform the commuter railroad tracks, surface parking sculpture, architecture and landscape architecture, located and degraded parkland in the northwest corner of Grant Park between Chicago’s lakefront and the central business into a landscaped venue for free public programming, district (the Loop). concerts, and events v The transformation of a dilapidated ground-level parking v To create a permanent home for the Grant Park Music Festival lot and rail yard into what may be the world’s largest “green v To provide one-of-a-kind public art spaces as a “gift” to all roof,” covering two multi-level parking lots with a total of the citizens of Chicago from patrons who have made their 4,000 cars, and commuter rail line. fortunes in the city v A park with twelve installations created by well-known artists v To lay the foundation for future private residential and and designers that supports over 500 free cultural programs commercial development in the area each year, forming what the Chicago Tribune art reporter Chris Jones called “arguably the most expansive cultural project in Chicago since the 1893 Columbian Exposition.” v A catalyst for economic impacts, including estimated increases in nearby real estate values that total $1.4 billion and an increase in tourism revenues of $2.6 billion over a projected year period. These and other economic impacts are set against a $490 million cost, derived from a mix of public and private sources. 89 SILVER MEDAL WINNER MILLENNIUM PARK s Chicago n�Navy Pier Water Tower Kinzie St r D e r o La Salle St h S e k a L N In any case, agreements with the Illinois Central Railroad (ICR) in Kennedy Expy Millennium Park the intervening period resulted in an easement over a portion of the n Art Institute Park site for use by the railroad. The contemporary story of Millen- of Chicago Dr Lake Shore Jackson Blvd CHICAGO HARBOR nium Park, chronicled below, starts with the reacquisition of the site Michigan Ave Congress Pkwy n area erroneously believed to be owned by the ICR. At that time, the Harrison St Buckingham Fountain State St site supported a large surface parking lot and railroad line. Canal St Columbus Dr December 1997: The ICR donates its rights, title and interest in Roosevelt Rd Adler n lakefront property – from McCormick Place North to Randolph Soldier Field Planetarium Street – to the City of Chicago. PROJECT CHRONOLOGY March 1998: Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley publicly One could argue that project development for Millennium Park announces plans for Lakefront Millennium Park. Daley states that (“the Park”) dates back to the 1805 decommissioning of Fort Dear- the Park will cost $150 million, with $30 million coming from born, coupled with the 1809 dedication of 20 acres of the Fort as the private sector, and will be open by midyear 2000. Daley also a park. In 1836, Chicago’s prominent citizens feared that the Board asserts that tax money will not be used to finance the Park and of Canal Commissioners, charged with making a canal to connect appoints John Bryan to raise the private sector funds. the Mississippi River Basin to the Great Lakes, might sell the Fort Dearborn parcel for commercial development on the lakefront. The June 1998: The City generates approximately $137 million to citizens successfully lobbied to have the Commission declare the finance the Park by selling parking revenue bonds. site “Public Ground – A Common to Remain Forever Open, Clear, and Free of Any Building.” Others might contend that project de- September 1998: Work on Millennium Park’s supporting velopment for the Park really begins with Daniel Burnham and the foundations begins, based on plans prepared by Skidmore Owings Olmsted Brothers during the 1890s, and cycles through multiple and Merrill, LLP (SOM). proposals to transform Grant Park, a large public park that includes the land now occupied by Millennium Park. February 1999: Estimated cost of the Park rises to $200 million. 90 2009 RUDY BRUNER AWARD March 1999: Chicago Planning Commission approves revised June 2000: City of Chicago fires Schwendener Inc. and Harston plans for the Park. Plans now feature additional amenities, Construction Co., the original general contractors, after failing to including an indoor theatre and a skating rink. reach agreement on increased construction costs associated with proposed contract modifications. April 1999: Frank Gehry is hired to design the outdoor concert Estimated cost of the Park is now at $270 million. pavilion and bridge over Columbus Drive. The Pritzker family donates $15 million to finance the pavilion’s construction. July 2000: The Department of Transportation is replaced by the Public Buildings Commission as the main public project manager. July 1999: Construction of the underground garage according to Walsh Construction hired as replacement contractor. new assumptions on loads and program for the surface begins before a building permit is issued January 2001: Schwendener/Harston sues City for roughly $60 million in damages and expenses. Structural issues with Millen- January 2000: Artist Anish Kapoor’s sculpture and architect nium Park’s underground garage become public knowledge. In Frank Gehry’s bridge across Columbus Drive are planned as new 2007 the firm filed for bankruptcy triggered by the collapse of the additions to the Park. settlement of litigation with the city over their dismissal from the Overall design of the Park is altered to make it universally Park job seven years earlier. accessible to persons with disabilities. Estimated cost of the Park rises to $230 million as scope August 2001: Mayor Daley seeks an additional $30 to $50 million of project widens. in TIF funding. In response to public criticism, Daley blames the Park’s rising cost May 2000: Mayor Daley decides to invest $35 million from and delays on Frank Gehry and the ousted contractors. The mayor Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds to help pay for the rising later recants his initial blame of Gehry. construction costs. (The TIF funds include public tax dollars, and Estimated cost of the Park rises to $370 million. were initially set aside to stimulate development in the Central Loop, within which Millennium Park is located.) October 2001: Plans for the Crown Fountain are announced, as Millennium Park, Inc. collects more private funding. 91 SILVER MEDAL WINNER MILLENNIUM PARK December 2001: The skating rink opens. May, 2007: The City privatizes four underground parking garages in Grant Park (with a 9,000-car capacity). Two of the garages (with October 2002: Wrigley Square opens. a 4,000-car capacity) are under Millennium Park. The City receives a lump sum payment of $560 million for the 99-year December 2002: Estimated cost of the Park and its art installations lease of the garage. reaches $410 million. August 2003: Wall Street firm Bear Stearns cancels its financing KEY PARTICIPANTS pact with City. City is awarded a termination fee. (* indicates interview as part of the site visit) John Bryan, chairman of Millennium Park Inc., announces that $120 million has been raised so far in the private sector to finance City of Chicago: the Park. RICHA R D M. DALEY *, Mayor of Chicago EDWA R D UHLI R , FAIA*, Assistant to Mayor; Project Design Director November 2003: The Joan and Irving Harris Theatre for Music EDWA R D BEDO R E , Former City Budget Director and Dance opens. SIDONIE WALTE rs -LAW R ENCE , Main financial advisor KA R EN TA M LEY , Commissioner, Mayor’s Office for People June 2004: The City announces that a conservancy – a private, with Disabilities not-for-profit branch of Millennium Park, Inc. – will maintain the JU DY RICE , Commissioner, Chicago Department of Transportation Park. The City will still own the property. MIG U EL D’ES COTO , Commissioner, Chicago Department of Transportation July 2004: Millennium Park officially opens to worldwide attention. RICHA R D KINCZY K *, First Deputy Transportation Commissioner, Final cost of the Park is $490 million. Roughly $270 million came City of Chicago from the public sector. KEVIN Gujr AL , Construction Director, Chicago Public Building Commission LOI S WEI sb E R G *, Commissioner, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs 92 2009 RUDY BRUNER AWARD Not-for-Profits and Cultural Organizations: HA R LEY ELLI S DEVE R EA U X (CHICAGO , IL) and SITE DE S IGN GR O up JOHN H. BR YAN *, Chairman, Millennium Park, Inc. (CHICAGO , IL) – Landscape Architect, the Boeing Galleries DONNA LAPIET R A *, President, Millennium Park, Inc. JA um E PLEN S A (BA R CELONA , Spain) and Kru E K & SEXTON * AR CHITECT S RO B E R T O’NEILL , President, Grant Park Conservancy (CHICAGO , IL) – Architect, Crown Fountain Erm A TR ANTE R *, President, Friends of the Parks OWP/P (CHICAGO , IL, Architect,) McCormick Tribune Plaza VICTO R IA RAINEY , Co-founder, Friends of the Park and Wrigley Square ER IN HOGAN , Director of Public Affairs, Art Institute of Chicago ANI S H KA P OO R (LONDON , England), Sculptor, Cloud Gate ME R EDITH MAC K *, Deputy Director and COO, Art Institute of Chicago Major Private Donors: AT&T Architects/Designers/Engineers/Construction Contractors/Artists: THE BOEING CO mp ANY SK ID M O R E OWING S AND ME rr ILL (CHICAGO , IL) – BP Master Plan Consultant, John Zils,* SOM Structural Engineer J.P.